The Town of Longboat Key is advancing two drainage improvement projects designed to reduce roadway flooding, improve resident access, and build long-term coastal resiliency in the Longboat Key Village neighborhood. The design work, scheduled to begin after surveying led by HR Green, builds on a productive partnership established in 2022 and aligns with two other ongoing resiliency projects the firm is delivering for the Town.

Longboat Key Village experiences flooding from elevated tides, king tides, and short-duration storm events that limit residents’ ability to safely travel through the neighborhood. By elevating roadway grades, improving drainage conveyance, and reducing tidal backflow into the storm system, the proposed improvements are intended to lessen the frequency and severity of water ponding in streets and make access more reliable.

Phase 1 of the Village work is supported by a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program award administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management with funding from FEMA. The design will address six streets—Longboat Drive E, Fox Street, Russell Street, Bayside Drive, Broadway, and Lois Avenue. Planned design approaches include raising low roadway profiles, increasing storm system capacity with additional inlets and larger pipes, and evaluating the use of WaStop check valves at outfalls to reduce tidal backflow. The effort includes full surveying, modeling for a minimum 25-year, 24-hour storm event, and coordination with permitting agencies including SWFWMD, FDEP, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Phase 2 will address Linley Street and Bayside Drive to Cedar Street. The design proposes raising portions of Bayside Drive and Linley Street, stabilizing shoreline conditions at low-lying public access points, adding new stormwater inlets and pipes, and evaluating potential elevation of the public boat ramp. The work is intended to mitigate overland tidal flow and reduce roadway flooding while preserving neighborhood shoreline access.

The design process for both phases includes substantial community coordination. HR Green will provide project outreach through a public-facing website, community meetings, and ongoing engagement with residents to address questions and concerns.